Comments on: Seven Game World Series and Big Businesshttp://jimgworld.com/blog1/2016/11/08/seven-game-world-series-and-big-business/
Essays and photos by Jim G, a friendly hermit / techie / quasi-Aspie / INTJ-INFJ / bleeding-heart conservative / nowhere-man in his 60s (yikes, how did that happen!?!?). These are my reflections on science, public policy, spirituality, philosophy, society, feelings, humorous little things, and getting old here in northern New Jersey. With a few photos mixed in.Wed, 08 May 2019 01:25:29 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.4By: Mary S.http://jimgworld.com/blog1/2016/11/08/seven-game-world-series-and-big-business/comment-page-1/#comment-84390
Fri, 11 Nov 2016 20:51:26 +0000http://jimgworld.com/blog1/?p=6497#comment-84390Jim, I must admit it’s a relief to deal with a topic other than the elections; so “series” games it is; a definite relief.

If I may, I’d like to clarify what my actual statement was to you about the World Series and “series games” in general. (I probably am wrong about this, but don’t hockey, basketball, football, soccer, etc., have some version of a “series” game at the end of their various seasons too?)

While I did say, and you accurately quoted me re my “theory” of “series games”, I never once used the term “rigged” when it came to such series. “Rigged” never occurred to me. That makes me sound like Donald Trump; and I assuredly am not he; nor do I think the games are “rigged”. But I DO notice that, when games to the full “number” allotted, all kinds of people make a whole bunch more money than they do/would should there be only 3 or 4 “series” games.

In addition, I am not a “life-long Cubs fan” even tho I am from Chicago. I have never followed any sport with anything that comes close to a “life-long” interest, concern, passion, or even vague notice of various sports teams, be they baseball (north and south/Cubs and White Sox), football, hockey, basketball, etc.

I will admit to noticing individual PEOPLE who have special talents who play a particular game; it’s the person with the talent that interests me rather than the team as such and definitely it is not the game itself. To name a few men who played that I’ve noticed for their talent, and yes, I mean “talent” as in “talent” and not a substitute for their good looks:

Walter Payton, of course, such a nice man; a football player with the nickname “Sweetness” is one I just can’t forget. Sad when he died. Michael Jordan with his balletic moves on the basketball floor, beautiful; but I did hear he got testy when other players didn’t play as he wanted them to. John Paxon (sp?) with his 3 pointers that never failed (that I knew of); again a joy to watch that ball make those 3 points every time. Jim McMahon who could throw a football pass like he was “plastic man” a cartoon character from back in the 1940s, I think; his arm would stretch to wherever he needed it to go; and Jim McMahon always reminded me of plastic man. He’d throw the ball in such a way that made it seem he placed it directly in the arms of whoever the ball was intended for. (Note here I don’t even know the name of the position of the person who “received” the ball; a “receiver” of some sort, I suppose?)

That’s about all I know about the games; well, then there were the series that always blocked out what seemed like forever other things I wanted to hear or watch.

I told my brother of my theory and he was shocked that I even considered such a thing! As would be my sister who definitely was a sports fan.

I also respect your statistics; but when I see all those numbers coming, it might just as well be Russian writing as far as I’m concerned. (Don’t have a clue about Russian writing.) Way over my head.

While I’m 100% sure that any kind of “tinkering” with the “series” outcome probably does not happen, I do notice the rush of people pouring thru various and sundry “things” to get “series” clothing and various souvenirs, to the point where clothing is printed for each side; the losing side’s clothing is sent to other countries to be sold for a pittance or given away free; yet the companies still make a fortune. Such items also have to be sold almost immediately as the buying public has a short memory. As I’ve heard recently in another situation: Euphoria fades fast; then what? (I find myself wondering if a T-Shirt that costs $35; probably would easily cost perhaps $2 to make [if that; maybe 50 cents] and the rest is profit. Maybe it’s just me; but it sets me to wondering, and my comment was meant as a “sets me to wondering” idea, that’s all.

With media today influencing even the election of our president in the way it does (and have we recovered from that yet, no matter which side we were on? But I digress and back to “media influence”), all the while claiming it is simply reporting the news, I find myself “wondering” even more than usual.

I’m sure you have proved statistically that I am wrong; but you know what they say about statistics: It’s possible to make them come out whatever way one wants them to come out. Am I wrong to use the recent elections and the various polls as an example? Maybe I am. But I plead in my defense (as I said above) that I do not know one bit about stats either. But again: Odd how some said one side would win and others said the other side would win: And low and behold: Both were right as the popular vote went one way and the electoral college vote went another way. Both ended up right in their own way.

And most likely I’m off the track here. May I respectfully note again: I never used the word “rigged” in any sense. I simply said, it makes me wonder; and a person should be allowed to wonder (stats or not), not so? MCS